Think Halloween is scary? Nah, salt is...

Wow, it’s been a month. I think that’s a record even for me for not updating. I’ve been lazy, tired, playing hockey, going to concerts, and even finding time to work in between all of that if you can believe it. But there is medical news, so let’s get right to it…

First off, I’ve been to Cleveland for my bi-yearly checkup. Everything went as before, with a few exceptions. First off, I’m still maintaining my health status, as my MELD score is around 14. That’s a good thing.

I’ve had a change in my meds though. Since I’ve started retaining water around my liver and in my feet/ankles, I’ve been put on a diuretic . Not a bad thing, but it requires a change in my eating habits. Of course, I’m supposed to keep an eye on my sodium intake to around 2,000mg. That’s going okay, but now with the new meds I have to watch my potassium. Out with the bananas and potatoes!

It used to be okay when they told me to stop drinking alcohol, stop smoking, stop illegal drug use, and cut back on my fatty and fried foods, etc. since I didn’t do any of that. The sodium thing is getting easier, mostly because it’s forcing me to cook even more these days, if that is possible. Plus, a great organic market just opened near me that I drive by on the way home from work, Goodlife on route 2, that caters to healthy alternative including being a good source of no salt added canned goods like tomato paste and even soups. I did try the no salt product called “mild cheddar cheese” which tasted like spoiled tofu- no thanks. Luckily I’m developing a taste for swiss and baby swiss slices which are very, very low in sodium. But this potato thing is going to require some getting used to.

The vampyres at Cleveland drew seventeen(!) vials of blood from me. I thought she was kidding when she put all of them on the table, but they were all for me. And then later in the month I went for more lab work for my Baltimore doktors and they draw another twelve.

I’ve been evaluated for the transplant program in Baltimore, and I heard today I should be accepted there too, so I’ll be double listed. Kind of a first come, first serve for who’s got the organ I can use!

Both facilities are a little different in the way they approach when to do the transplant. In Cleveland, they wait until the MELD score gets into the 20’s, as their theory seems to be the longer I have my own liver, the better off I am. In Baltimore, it’s more of a game of if the “perfect” organ for me arrives and I’m near the top of the current list, they encourage the patient to take it. I’m not sure which theory is better, but both have merits and downsides.

Back to diet though. I’ve been using the web for low sodium resources and the more I read about what the American high fat, high sodium contributes to our health issues like heart disease and so on. I always heard about what the long-term side effects are, but having lived the low sodium thing for this calendar year, I can offer that I can really tell when I eat something higher in sodium than I should. Case in point: Chipotle burrito. The shell alone is 1,000mgs, so I get the bowl. But just the rice and beans bring the total over 1,000 alone before salsa. And forget the peppers and onions. Know what though? It tastes soooo good! I’ve limited myself to at most one visit a month, and I skipped last month. At least Taco Bell offers crunchy tacos with beans and fresco style (no cheese, just lettuce and tomato/onion) that are under 250mgs each.

I’ll post more this weekend, but that’s just a quick update for now. Happy Halloween!